Air compressor



1963 D. R. KING 3,108,737

AIR COMPRESSOR Filed March 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l 62 60 I2 52 FIG. Iz I INVENTOR.

DENVER R. KING D. R.KIING Oct. 29, 1963 AIR' COMPRESSOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed March 26, 1962 FIG.3

INVENTOR. DENVER R. KING United States Patent 3,108,737 AIR COMPRESSORDenver R. King, National City, Calif. (3318 Rio Vista Drive, Bonita,Calif.) Filed Mar. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 182,275 Claims. (Cl. 230-72) Thepresent invention relates generally to compressors and more particularlyto an air compressor in which air is compressed explosively.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an air compressorwhich compresses air by repetitive explosions in an air chamber, openingthrough a one way valve into a storage chamber.

Another object of this invention is to provide an air compressor havingmultiple air chambers, some of which are open for recharging with airwhile explosions are occuring in the other chambers.

Another object of this invention is to provide an air compressor havinga reciprocal head containing the explosion producing means and actuatedentirely by a simple reciprocating mechanism.

A further object of this invention is to provide an air compressor inwhich the reciprocal head contains means for introducing an explosivecharge into each air chamber and igniting the charge, the actions beingperformed and synchronized by the reciprocation of the head.

Finally, it is an object to provide an air compressor of theaforementioned character which is simple and convenient to construct andoperate and which will give generally eflicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consistsin the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements andportions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification,particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawingswhich form a material part of this disclosure, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the air compressor;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Structure The compressor is basically composed of a rigid block fixed toa large air storage tank 12 of any suitable size and configuration, theblock containing a plurality of cylindrical compression chambers 14extending completely through the block. Mounted on top of the blocklt)is a reciprocal head 16 carrying the explosion producing means. Althougha reciprocating head is illustrated, this is conceived that rotary orother shiftable heads can be employed.

Only two compression chambers 14 are required for proper operation, butfor practical purposes four pairs of chambers are illustrated, any evennumber being usable according to the desired production rate ofcompressed air. At the lower end of each compression chamber 14 is anon-return valve 18 opening into the storage tank 12, the valves beingillustrated as simple spring returned, axially movable valves, but othertypes being suitable.

The head 16 has flanges 20 extending from the lower longitudinal edgesthereof, the flanges being held in guide rails 22 on the block 10, sothat the head is longitudinally slidable on the block. In the head 16are four explosion chambers 24 open at their lower ends and spaced foraxial alignment with two separated pairs of the compression chambers 14,the central portion of the head having a pair of open barrels 26 whichalign with the pair of compression chambers between those closed by saidexplosion chambers, as in FIGURE 2. The length of head 16 is such thatthe remaining compression chambers 14 are exposed and open toatmosphere. Thus at any one time half of the compression chambers 14 areopen to atmosphere, while the other half are covered by explosionchambers 24. In basic principle, with only two compres sion chambers aspreviously noted, the head would contain only one explosion chamber andcould be shifted to cover the compression chambers alternately. Motionof the head 16 is limited by fixed stops 28 in the guide rails 22, sothat at each end of its reciprocal motion the head is stopped with theexplosion chambers properly aligned with the appropriate compressionchambers. At one end of block 10 is an upright end plate 30 on which ismounted a reciprocating actuator 32 having a piston rod 33 coupled tothe head 16 for longitudinal reciprocation thereof. The actuator 32 isindicated as a cylindrical ram type device hydraulically, electrically,or otherwise operated from a suitable power source, not shown. However,various types of actuators may be used including mechanical movementsand the specific mechanism is not critical.

Each explosion chamber 24 has a fuel inlet 34 and an oxidizer inlet 36,both fitted with check valves 38 to prevent blow-back, and an igniter 40which may be a spark plug or similar ignition means. The fuel inlets 34are all connected by supply pipes 42, through a timing valve 44, to afuel supply source 46. The oxidizer inlets 36 are similarly connected bysupply pipes 48, through a timing valve 50, to an oxidizer supply source52. Timing valves 44 and 50 are mounted on end plate 30 and may beincorporated into a single unit, each having an elongated cylinder 54 inwhich is an axially slida-ble piston 56 coupled to the head 16, thepistons comprising the valve ele ments. The pistons 56 have tranverseports 58 adjacent opposite ends thereof, as in FIGURE 2, the ports beingspaced so that just before the end of each reciprocation stroke of head16, charges of fuel and oxidizer are injected into all the explosionchambers 24 simultaneously. Other types of valves may be utilized, butare preferably coupled for operation by reciprocation of head 16, inorder to avoid the necessity for special timing mechanism.

The igniters 40 are coupled by a wiring harness 60 to a suitablepowersupply 62 actuated by a switch 64. Fixed to the head 16 is anactuating bar 66 having cam portions 68 spaced to close switch 64 at theend of each reciprooation stroke of said head, as in FIGURE 1.

Operation The only driving power needed to operate the compressoris thatof the actuator 32 which reciprocates the head 16, all other actionsbeing accomplished by the reciprocation. As the head 16 nears the end ofa stroke, fuel and oxidizer are delivered to all of the explosionchambers 24 and, on completion of the stroke, the switch 64 energizesthe igniters 40 to fire the explosive mixture. The resultant explosionin each explosion chamber 24 rams the air in the connected compressionchamber 14 through the valve 28 and into storage tank 12. The air ishighly compressed by the explosion, expanded by the heat of theexplosion which adds to the compression and also carries with it theexplosion products which are of considerable volume. To avoidcontamination of the compressed air, the fuel is preferably hydrogen andthe oxidizer oxygen, although other mixtures can be used if the gasesproduced by the explosion can be tolerated.

While explosions are occuring in one set of chambers, the exposedcompression chambers 14 are refilling With air from atmosphere. On thenext stroke of head 16, the air in these chambers is explosivelycompressed, while the previously fired chambers refill with air, thespeed of reciprocation of the head determining the rate of compressionwithin the operating limitations of the mechanism.

Very little power is required to move the head 16, which is the onlydriven component. If hydrogen and oxygen are used from pressurized tanksfor the explosive mixture, no pumps or special fuel system parts areneeded. Using multiple chambers with a single reciprocating head, largequantities of air can be compressed rapidly.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the inventiondisclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scopeof the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to beconsidered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. An air compressor, comprising:

a block having at least one pair of compression chambers therein;

an air storage tank coupled to said compression chambers and havingvalve means to pass compressed air in one direction from the compressionchambers to said tank; a head shiftably mounted on said block; said headhaving an explosion chamber for communication with one of saidcompression chambers;

means to shift said head to align said explosion chamber with each ofsaid compression chambers selectively;

means timed by the movement of said head to inject an explosive chargeinto said explosion chamber as the chamber comes into alignment witheach of said compression chambers;

and further means timed with said head movement to ignite the explosivecharge when said explosion chamber is fully aligned with eachcompression chamber, whereby the air therein is compressed anddischarged into said storage tank.

2. An air compressor according to claim 1 wherein said explosive chargeinjection means comprises:

a source of fuel and a source of oxidizer connected to said explosionchamber;

timing valves between said sources of fuel and said explosion chamber;

said timing valves being coupled to and actuated by said head to openand deliver charges of fuel and oxidizer to said explosion chamber nearthe end of each head movement.

3. An air compressor according to claim 1 wherein said explosive chargeigniting means comprises:

an igniter in said explosion chamber;

a power supply connected to said igniter and having an actuating switchcoupled thereto;

and means connected to said head to actuate said switch at the end ofeach head movement.

4. An air compressor, comprising:

a block having a plurality of pairs of compression chambers therein;

an air storage tank coupled to said compression chambers and havingvalve means to pass compressed air in one direction from the compressionchambers to said tank;

a head reciprocally slida'ble on said block;

said head having a plurality of explosion chambers spaced for alignmentand communication with one of each of said pairs of compression chamberssimultaneously;

means to reciprocate said head to align said explosion chambers with theother of each of said pairs of compression chambers;

said head having open portions to expose the compression chambers notcovered by said explosion chambers;

means to inject explosive charges simultaneously into all of saidexplosion chambers;

and means to ignite said explosive charges when said,

explosion chambers are aligned with each of said compression chambers.

5. An air compressor, comprising:

a block having a plurality of pairs of compression chambers therein;

an air storage tank coupled to said compression chambers and havingvalve means to pass compressed air in one direction from the compressionchambers to said tank;

a head reciprocally sl-idable on said block;

said head having a plurality of explosion chambers spaced for alignmentand communication with one of each of said pairs of compresion chamberssimultaneously;

means to reciprocate said head to align said explosion chambers with theother of each of said pairs of compression chambers;

said head having open portions to expose the compression chambers notcovered by said explosion chambers;

means actuated by reciprocation of said head to inject explosive chargessimultaneously into all of said explosion chambers substantially at theend of each reciprocation stroke of the head;

and further means actuated by reciprocation of said head to ignite saidexplosive charges at the end. of each reciprocation stroke of the headwhen said explosion chambers are aligned with each of said com,-pression chambers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,384,898 Joy July 19, 1921 1,515,101 Fowler Nov. 11, 1924 1,520,960Nagelmann Dec. 30 1924

1. AN AIR COMPRESSOR, COMPRISING: A BLOCK HAVING AT LEAST ONE PAIR OFCOMPRESSION CHAMBERS THEREIN; AN AIR STORAGE TANK COUPLED TO SAIDCOMPRESSION CHAMBERS AND HAVING VALVE MEANS TO PASS COMPRESSED AIR INONE DIRECTION FROM THE COMPRESSION CHAMBERS TO SAID TANK; A HEADSHIFTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BLOCK; SAID HEAD HAVING AN EXPLOSION CHAMBERFOR COMMUNICATION WITH ONE OF SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBERS; MEANS TO SHIFTSAID HEAD TO ALIGN SAID EXPLOSION CHAMBER WITH EACH OF SAID COMPRESSIONCHAMBERS SELECTIVELY; MEANS TIMED BY THE MOVEMENT OF SAID HEAD TO INJECTAN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE INTO SAID EXPLOSION CHAMBER AS THE CHAMBER COMESINTO ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OF SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBERS; AND FURTHER MEANSTIMED WITH SAID HEAD MOVEMENT TO IGNITE THE EXPLOSIVE CHARGE WHEN SAIDEXPLOSION CHAMBER IS FULLY ALIGNED WITH EACH COMPRESSION CHAMBER,WHEREBY THE AIR THEREIN IS COMPRESSED AND DISCHARGED INTO SAID STORAGETANK.